Under the Cover of Night
by Magikath1
Summary: Percabeth pirate fanfticion. Rated T because stuff. Not bad or anything though.
1. Chapter 1

**Under the Cover of Night**

 **A Percabeth Fanfiction**

 **All characters belong to Rick Riordan. Often times people say unfortunately because they wish that the characters belong to them. I however do not. Do you know how badly I would screw up writing a Percy Jackson book. I would suck. A lot. So I don't own any of the characters unless they're an oc. You had better know if it's an oc or not because if you don't even know who the characters are you should be reading the books not the fanfiction.**

 **Just a warning I will not be italicizing the names of ships. I am well aware that they should be but that would take to long.**

 **Set sometime soon after the revolutionary war.**

Percy's POV

"Get rid of this one," I order walking down the line of prisoners. "This one can go free. Send this one over to Piper."

My crew and just raiding another ship. I believe it's called the Interceptor. Each time we attack a ship we board, take what we want, and sort out the prisoners. As captain it's my job to sort. I choose who needs to die, who can go free, and who we keep. Very rarely do I keep anyone for my ship. I have a reliable and trustworthy crew who are fairly close. It would be tough for the crew to accept a newbie. Occasionally when Piper helps I send people over to her ship, the Greek Goddess (Piper is an ally of mine). Most men end up dying but I try to let any women and children free. Only if they posed a threat would I kill them.

I reach the end of the line and come across the last of the prisoners. The person is kneeling with their hands behind their back looking down at the ground. I lift their head with the tip of my sword drawing a few drops of crimson. A pretty face stares up at me with determined eyes. A few wisps of golden hair frame her face. I flick her hat off with my sword setting free a cascade of curls. I smirk at her.

"I think we'll keep this one," I announce. The rest of my crew smiles sickly at her.

oO0Oo

"Where to Captain?" Leo shouts at me from the wheel. Leo is my first mate and often steers the ship. He loves to work with machines.

"We need to restock our ship," I call back. "Find somewhere we can get all the supplies we'll need."

"Aye aye Cap'ain!" Leo shouts back teasingly.

I turn around and run into something soft and small. I look down and see the girl from the Interceptor.

"I demand to be taken back to my family!" she shouts at me.

I laugh lightly. "Sorry, Princess, but I'm in charge here. I get to say when and if you will return to your family."

"They'll find me. They will track you down and rescue me and take me home," she insists.

"If you say so," I chuckle at her.

She growls quietly and stomps away. She sits on a bucket on the other side of the deck and pouts.

"What are we going to do with her?" asks Grover, another of my crew members.

"Honestly? I have no idea whatsoever," I tell him smiling.

oO0Oo

I stare across the glassy water. Night has fallen and the reflection of the moon ripples slightly as a result of the breeze that ruffles my hair.

My peace is disrupted by a voice higher than I'm used to. "What am I supposed to wear while I'm here?" the girl from the interceptor asks me. Without waiting for a response she continues talking although more to herself than to me. "Suppose it doesn't matter much. Soon enough my father will be here to save me."

"I hate to break it to you, Princess," I laugh lightly, "but when I don't want to be found, I'm not found. My ship can outrun any ship this father of yours might have."

"Any ship in the naval fleet of America?" she asks with a smirk.

"Any ship," I reply wiping the smirk from her face. "What kind of father do you have that he has the entire American navy at his disposal?"

"Not the entire navy. Just a few ships available to him as governor."

"Governor, huh?"

"Yeah, it has its ups and downs."

"Come with me," I say walking away without looking back to see if she's following.

"Where are we going?" she asks with a slightly suspicious tone to her voice.

I keep walking towards my cabin without answering. When we reach the door I walk in, neglecting to hold the door for her. What can I say? I'm a pirate not a prince. She must have noticed that I didn't hold the door because the next thing I know I'm subject to an intense glare by stormy grey eyes. I ignore her and walk over to my chest. I pull out a loose cotton shirt and a pair of trousers that are a bit too small for me but would be big on the girl.

"Here you are, Princess," I say tossing the clothes at her.

"My name's not Princess you know," she says raising her eyebrows.

"Well then what is it?"

She hesitates. "Annabeth. Annabeth Chase."

"Percy Jackson." I give her a small smile. "You can sleep down with the crew."

An expression of fear covers her face. "Please no. Please don't make me. I don't want…"

I look her in the eyes. "I promise you that no one will lay a hand on you. If anyone does he shall answer to me." She still looks uneasy but puts on a mask of bravery and nods slightly. "You can have one of the extra hammocks. Would you prefer top or bottom bunk?"

"It doesn't make a difference to me," she says a bit haughtily. "Soon enough I won't even be here. I'll be at home in my queen sized canopy bed."

I laugh. "Bottom bunk it is."


	2. Chapter 2

Hey guys. Second chapter. Obviously. I made some edits to the first chapter. Mostly just tense and grammar/punctuation. Also if anyone is good at chapter names please tell me. I'm not and I could use the help. If you see any mistakes please call me out.

All Characters belong to Rick Riordan

Annabeth's POV

I stand and watch the endless waves, rolling against the boat. Wind whips my hair into my face. I keep trying to push it behind my ears but it won't stay. A groan of frustration escapes my lips before I can stop it.

"Here," says a strange voice. A plain red handkerchief is thrust into my hands.

I look sideways at the person who gave me the handkerchief. He's a boy who looks to be about nineteen or so. The same age as me. He has brown curly hair and tan skin. He has a toolbelt strapped around his waist.

I cautiously take the handkerchief and tie my hair back with it. "Thanks," I tell the boy.

"No problem," he says offering me a small smile. "I'm Leo."

"Annabeth," I say.

"If you need anything just ask."

"Shouldn't I ask Percy? Isn't this his ship?" I ask.

He laughs. "I'm first mate. I'm authorized to help you."

"Okay," I agree smiling slightly.

"Leo!" A shout comes from the wheel. I look up to see Percy glaring at Leo. "Stop flirting with the girl and get back to work."

Leo takes my hand and kisses it, winking as he does so.

"Leo!"

"Coming Mother," he yells rolling his eyes.

I turn completely around and lean against the railing. I survey the scene in front of me. Percy and Leo now stand at the wheel, conversing loudly. Their voices aren't loud enough to be heard over the shouts of the rest of the crew. The rest of the crew are doing numerous things. There are men scrubbing the deck, men pulling at ropes, and men running around doing the gods know what. I can't help but enjoy the busyness. My life at home is always busy as well, but it's a different kind of busy. That kind of busy is men in wigs walking around in their best clothes, parties to celebrate birthdays and weddings, government meetings to attend, people to meet, places to see, etcetera. This kind of busy is men in ratty clothes running, shouting, and just generally being men.

My thoughts are interrupted by a shriek from the water below. I turn around and look down to see a small raggedy girl floating on a makeshift raft, desperately trying to steer her raft away from the oncoming ship. The ship that I'm on.

"Percy!" I shout. "Leo! Somebody! Anybody!" The crew is too busy and loud to hear or notice me.

Desperate times call for desperate measures. I sprint up the stairs to where Percy and Leo are still conversing with a big black guy who has a small gold ring in his ear. I shove past them and grab the wheel. I spin it hard to the left, away from the girl.

"What are you doing?!" Percy shouts grabbing my arm and yanking me away from the wheel.

"Saving a life," I tell him. I realize that it's quieter now and that most of the crew are now looking at us. My face turns pink but I continue, "There's a girl in the water. No one else was doing anything so I did."

Immediately a few of the crew members run to the railing on the right side of the ship. "Man overboard!" one of them shouts. It's somebody I don't recognize. He has a small goatee and a strange limp. More of the crew go to fetch ropes and such to haul the girl up.

I quickly take the few steps down to the deck and look over the railing at the girl in the water. I can feel feel my eyebrows scrunching up in worry as I see the state the girl is in. Her hair is tangled and matted and dirty. The scraps of cloth that I could tell used to be a magnificent dress now hang off her thin frame. The skin visible through a layer of dirt is pale and has a yellowish tint to it. Her feet are bare and her hands are blistered. I watch as she grabs onto the rope that has been lowered by the crew. She sits in the loop tied at the end and the crew pulls her up without much effort. Just seconds after she is lifted off of her raft, it is smashed to pieces by our ship. Not OUR ship, I remind myself. Your captors ship.

I make my way towards where the girl is still being lifted up. I stand back a few feet as they pull her over the railing. When she is safely on the ship I go over to her and take her by the shoulders. I steer her away from the crew and below deck. I take her to where I slept the night before.

"If you just hang on a second we'll get you some food and then you can rest," I tell her. "But first we should get some blankets and other clothes for you." She nods and I can see the mix of fear and exhaustion on her face.

"I've got you covered," says a voice behind me. I turn around to see Percy holding a wool blanket and a simple white dress. He hands them to me. "You'll find food in the kitchen and she can really just sleep wherever."

"Thank you," the girl whispers.

"Where is the kitchen?" I whisper not because I am mocking her but because it feels appropriate.

"Nevermind," Percy says. "I'll have someone bring it to you."

He leaves, nodding at us as he does so.

I turn and look at the girl. "You must be terrified," I say sympathetically.

She holds her head up high. "I'm fine." But I can still see that she's scared.

"It's alright to be scared you know," I try to reassure her. "To tell the truth I'm pretty terrified too. I just got here yesterday. I was sailing back home from where I was staying with my aunt for two months. I was so excited to see my family again. But our ship was attacked. It was awful. I was terrified but I knew well enough to not let it show through. Or I tried not to let it show at any rate. But with me you can be scared." I smile at her. "I'm Annabeth."

"Katie," she replies. "Katie Gardner." I hand her the blanket and clothes. It's a start.

oO0Oo

I lay awake in my hammock lost in thoughts of home. I can hear the snores of the sailors and I wonder how anyone could fall asleep in all this noise. Katie is in the hammock next to mine. I'm sure she's still awake because who would be able to fall asleep in a room with many strange, snoring men on a pirate ship? I barely slept at all last night and I don't have high hopes for tonight either. However I feel exhausted after today's events. I surprise myself by drifting off...


	3. Chapter 3

So I've decided that I will post the next chapter and edit the previous chapter at the same time. For instance I will have chapter two edited at the same time I post this chapter. Also I was thinking of doing a short chapter from either Katie or Leo's POV. What do you guys think?

All characters belong to Rick Riordan

Percy's POV

I stroll down the gangplank onto the dock with Beckendorf and Connor and Travis Stoll right behind me. We blend into the crowd quickly and easily. With the jolly roger stowed away below deck and barrels stacked on the deck we look like common fishermen or people looking to trade and sell honestly acquired goods. We walk towards the market place to get provisions. I told Leo to send people out to get whatever supplies he'll need to make repairs.

I send Connor and Travis to get food; they can snitch it easily without being caught. Beckendorf and I go to get water; not as easily stolen due to the weight and size of the barrels. Beckendorf heaves a barrel onto his shoulders as I hand the man a few gold coins. I stow the pouch of coins back around my neck and tuck it into my shirt and it takes a bit more effort than it did for Beckendorf but I manage to get a barrel on my shoulder as well. We push our way through the crowd to the dock and onto our ship.

Leo walks up next to me and I ask him, "How many do you think we'll need?"

"I don't know, Captain. We've got a couple of extra passengers to feed. It also depends on how long we're going until we stop again."

"I don't know how long it will be," I reply. "I think one more should do."

I hand Beckendorf another couple of coins and send him back for another barrel.

"Where are Travis and Connor?" Leo asks.

"They went to get food," I tell him. "They should be back soon."

Crew members begin to board the ship carrying buckets, planks of wood, hammers, etc. and Leo runs to help make repairs. Travis and Connor are behind them with packs slung over their backs that I'm sure they didn't leave with. They head below deck presumably to put the food in the kitchen.

"How long will we be staying here?"

I turn around, surprised to hear a female voice. "What are you doing up here?" I whisper harshly grabbing Annabeth's arm and dragging her towards the stairs that lead below deck.

"Fresh air?" she says as though it's a question. "Am I not allowed to be on the deck?"

"Certainly not now," I say angrily. I feel like I owe her an explanation even though I know I owe her nothing. Sort of. I list my reasons, "First of all you could escape. It wouldn't be easy but it certainly is possible. You seem pretty intelligent. You may be able to slip past everyone."

Annabeth stops and smirks. "Did you just call me smart? Was that a compliment?"

I let out a frustrated breathy groan and tug on her arm to keep her moving. "Look, I'm not an idiot. I can spot a quick mind." Annabeth chuckles quietly. I glare at her and continue, "Anyway, besides just being able to escape you could be spotted by someone who might recognize you. I can't afford to have more people after me. As of now there are few people who know I have you and know who you are. You're family has probably realized you're missing by now or heard news of the disappearance of your ship but they don't know that I've got you."

"How can you be so sure?" she asks.

"I have my resources," I say with an expression that I hope looks slightly mysterious. I stop in front of the door to my cabin. "Grover!" I shout at where there are men working.

"Yes, Captain?" comes the reply.

"Go fetch the other girl," I command.

"Yes, Captain."

I usher Annabeth into my cabin. "What are you doing?" I can hear the suspicion in her voice.

"Anyone who is not part of the crew gets to stay in the captain's cabin while we are not at sea." I smile at her. "Quite an honor."

She glares at me. "Yeah right," she spits.

"It appears the princess does not appreciate being locked up," I tease but not at all in an endearing way.

She crosses her arms over her chest and breathes in deeply, her grey eyes shooting daggers at me, her head held high in defiance and anger.

Just then Grover appears with the other little girl. She looks to be a few years younger than Annabeth. Maybe 14 or so? She's been cleaned up and her wavy brown hair is pulled back neatly with a random strip of cloth. She's wearing the simple white dress I gave her yesterday. Her back is stiff as a board and her head is held high. Her green eyes shine with a polite interest. Annabeth visibly relaxes at the sight of her.

"You called for me?" she addresses me.

"Yes. You will be staying here with Annabeth until we leave."

She nods as if she finds it an appropriate arrangement.

"And don't even think about trying to escape," I tell Annabeth. "I will have a guard posted outside the door until the time of our departure is upon us."

I turn to leave. "Percy," Annabeth's voice stops me. It sounds slightly less hostile but still not completely friendly. "You never answered my question. How long will we be here?"

I turn around with my hand on the half open door. "I can't say for sure but I hope soon, Princess."

"That is not my name!" she shouts angrily after me. I chuckle and close the door.

"Leo." I stop him from walking past me by grabbing his arm. "Find someone you can spare. I want a guard by my cabin door at all times until I say otherwise."

"Yes, Captain," Leo gives me a little salute with his free arm. I shove him away rolling my eyes and walk up the steps onto the deck.

"Report," I demand of Travis as he walks by.

"We have rations to sustain the crew for the next month or so including the two prisoners."

"Very well," I say and walk up to the wheel. Something about Travis's statement strikes me as not quite right. Is the young girl we saved really a prisoner? I realize that I know nothing about her. If she belongs to a rich family as I assume she does based on the dress she was wearing when we saved her then we could get quite a few pieces of gold as ransom for her safe return.

I wasn't sure how everything would work out but I felt confidant that it would.


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey, so I know I haven't posted in like literally forever but it's fine.**

 **All characters belong to Rick Riordan**

Katie's POV

This is great. Just great. Annabeth and I are stuck in the captain's cabin until further notice. That could mean minutes, hours, or days. The captain said that he wanted to leave soon but how soon is soon? I'm not on boats often enough to know.

"How long do you think we'll be here?" I ask Annabeth.

She still looks angry but she sighs and takes a seat on the edge of the half made bed. "I don't know. I hope not long."

I gingerly sit on the edge of the captain's desk chair. "Do you think it'll be more like hours or more like days?"

"Again, I'm not sure," Annabeth says. "It depends on how badly the ship has been damaged or what supplies they have to get."

I nod. We sit in silence for a few minutes before Annabeth speaks. "Tell me about yourself," she says smiling slightly.

"How can I be sure I can trust you?" I ask.

Annabeth lists her reasons,"Well for one I saved your life. Also I'm a prisoner too. I just got here a few days ago. It's strange though. I always imagined pirates as the type of people who beat you up and made you work hard and tied you up and burned you alive or made you walk the plank. These men seem kind of… civil. They fed and clothed me, they let me save you, they haven't made me work at all. I've been treated better than I would have expected. Of course I never expected to be taken prisoner by pirates." Annabeth laughs quietly.

"Fair enough," I agree. "My name is Katie Gardner, but you already know that. I'm fourteen years of age. My father is a merchant and my mother is a seamstress. We live in a big brick house in Boston, Massachusetts with my older sister Robin and my younger brother Ben. What else would you like to know?"

"Any hobbies?" Annabeth questions.

"I love to garden more than anything." I smile at the thought. "I have a large garden at home that mum lets me take care of all by myself. I plant flowers in one half and in the other I plant vegetables. The weeding takes a lot of work but it's worth it. I have a bench out there. It's my favorite place to sit and read."

"You enjoy reading?" Annabeth's face lights up.

"Very much!"

"Me too!"

"What else do you enjoy?" I asked turning the conversation to her.

"Oh, lots of things. I love horseback riding. It makes me feel free. And between you and me, my riding pants are far more comfortable than dresses and corsets and the likes." I laugh. "I love to read, I like to draw, I love architecture."

"What about your family?"

"Well, I live with my father and stepmother in California. My father is the governor. I have twin step brothers Bobby and Matthew. They can be a bit of the pain in the neck, but what else would you expect from little boys?"

"That's great." I smile at Annabeth. Despite the alarming situation I find myself in I believe I have found a friend.

Annabeth opens her mouth to speak but is interrupted by the door opening. The captain walks in with a crew member behind him. Annabeth and I stand up immediately. "Princess," he addresses Annabeth. "You will go with Leo. I believe he can find some task for you to do or whatever." Annabeth glares at the captain and follows the crew member, Leo. "And you," the captain says, sitting in the chair I had just unoccupied and putting his feet up on the desk. "You can have a seat."

I look around for a second and finally spot a simple wooden chair in the corner with some dirty clothes draped over it. I push the clothes off of it and drag in in front of the desk. The captain picks up a small dagger that was stuck in the desk and twists it around idly. We sit in silence for a few unbearably long minutes.

Finally the captain speaks. "Tell me about yourself."

I'm surprised and I must look it because he explains, "How am I to know your value if I don't even know who you are?"

I am outraged. "My value?!"

"Well yes," the captain says. "We _are_ pirates. Did you expect us to just let you go for free? I figure we can probably get some amount of ransom money. Based on the dress you were wearing when you were rescued your parents aren't exactly peasants. And besides you owe us your life."

I take in a deep breath. "My parents might be... well off but that's no excuse to demand a ransom. Since you clearly have no real use for me, I assumed I was saved out of civility if not kindness."

The black haired man laughs and takes his boots off of his desk. He leans forward and still chuckling slightly says, "Sweetheart, we're pirates. We aren't even civil, much less kind. The only reason you're alive is because of Annabeth. And besides, we do have a use for you. Ransom money."

I sigh. This man is difficult. "My father is a merchant. My mother is a seamstress."

I am about to continue but I'm interrupted. "That will suffice. Your parents will receive word of your capture before you know it. Off you go now. This lovely young man will escort you out and find something useful for you to do."

A large, well muscled black man walks in with an expressionless face. I follow him out of the room. We walk up a short flight of stairs and onto the main deck. The man in front of my stops and looks up at the wheel. "Leo!" he shouts in a deep voice.

"Beckendorf!" a scrawny boy who I assume is Leo calls back. "What can I help you with?"  
"Find something useful for this girl to do. Percy's orders."

Beckendorf walks up the stairs and takes the wheel from Leo who walks down the stairs to me. "Ah, my dear Katie," Leo says causing me to frown. "I am positive I can find a suitable task for such a delicate flower."

"While I enjoy gardening I am certainly not a flower, nor am I delicate," I protest.

"Of course," Leo readily agrees. "Follow me." And I do. We go below decks to a room where a few different boys and to my relief, Annabeth, are scrubbing out sheets and various articles of clothing. Leo leaves me at a bucket where a brown haired boy is rinsing out a pair of trousers. "Travis, this is Katie. Katie, Travis. Just a word of advice, keep a constant eye on any valuables you might have on you."

Leo leaves and I kneel down on the side of the large bucket opposite Travis.

I look over at where Annabeth is talking to the boy working across from her. My thoughts are filled with everything that has happened in the last couple of hours but are interrupted by the boy across from me.

"I assume you're here to help and not just to watch," he says with a strange smile on his face.

"Oh, yeah. Sorry." I roll up the sleeves of my dress and pick up a shirt from the basket beside us to start washing.

After a few minutes Travis speaks again. "So, I heard the story of how you were rescued. I didn't actually see it happen. I was below decks doing other stuff. But how exactly did you get to where you were? In the water on a makeshift raft that is."

"It's a long story," I say hesitantly.

"We have time," Travis says gesturing to the room around us.

"Okay," I start, still hesitant to share my story with someone I don't know. "I was on a ship with a friend of my uncle's. He's a merchant just like my father and uncle. We stopped at a port in South Carolina to sell some things. The docks were busy and I got lost. I didn't make it back to the ship in time and I kind of started to panic. I waited a few days in a nearby town for word from my family. They arranged to have me come home on another merchant ship. Someone my father knew. I boarded the ship and we were on our way home when we got caught in a storm. The ship went down and I don't know if there were any other survivors. I made a makeshift raft and was trying to get to land when I almost got run over. I would have died if Annabeth hadn't seen me."

"Well," Travis says. "Your courage and bravery impresses me greatly."

"As well it should," I reply.

Suddenly, the sound of a large bell reverberates through the ship.

Travis smiles. "Dinner time. Oh, don't look so terrified it's not like we're going to eat you or anything." Travis reaches across the bucket and bops me on the nose teasingly. I glare at him and pull my face away while he continues to smile. He stands and reaches down to help me up. Annabeth was right. These men aren't as uncivilized as I would expect a pirate would be.


End file.
